Monday, August 13, 2018

On Day three, Scott Sawtelle and I were in one jet boat with Trevor. Cindy and Steve Peskoe were in the another skiff with Doc. After storing gear, we all headed up the main Talachulitna. It wasn't long before the two boats went their separate ways. A few moments later, Trevor pull back on the throttle and we glided to a stop on a gravel bar below a perfect run. We could see kings spawning at the head of the run. Scott and Trevor rigged a bead and took off upstream. I chose a mouse and went below the boat. It wasn't long before we were all into fish. From this run, we took rainbow to 23'', many fat grayling and two fresh silvers. It was great day! I suppose the photos speak for themselves...

Anna Riggs has a friend pay a visit while John Riggs puts some new cleats in his wading boots

Some guys just look like they should be using power tools!

That is one happy pooch.

Cindy and Steve Peskoe ready for a jet boat day on the Tal.

Trevor holds a nice silver (coho salmon).

A fat rainbow on a mouse

Nice loop Scott

23" bow.... sweet!

Nick loads the raft and gear headed for the Trinity

On our fourth day, Scott Sawtelle and I went on another float/wade down Trinity Creek. Having the inflatable kayak/raft was great. In it went extra rods, lunch, water, camera gear and when you wanted to get around a difficult spot or avoid hoofing it through dead water we jumped. Then we let Nick do all the work.

Nick releases a small 'bow

For me, this was an idyllic day on a perfect small stream with big fish. Scott and I leapfrogged each other so we were always fishing fresh runs. We caught many 'bows to 22 inches and lots of grayling. I caught most of my fish on a mouse. In one run, I caught three 20" rainbow in 15 feet as the stream slid quickly along a downed tree. These 'bows were hot and as I reeled in each fish, Nick and I chatted away as if we were at Starbucks.

2 Mice after 50+ fish!

Just past this run, we broke down rods while Nick deflated the boat. We had everything ready to go when we heard the first hint of the blades chopping the still Alaskan air. A couple minutes later we were wheeling over the forest on our way back to a perfect summer evening at the lodge.

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Last Sunday, we returned from a superb trip to Talaheim Lodge in Alaska. Simply put, everything was perfect. The lodging was comfortable, the staff very accommodating, the guides superb, the food delicious and the fishing terrific... oh, and the helicopter rides were unbelievable.

Guest cabin

Jess and Josh whip up another great meal.

To depart from the front lawn of the lodge and soon speed away at 90 mph (seeing moose and bear along the way), then to pull up and gently settle on a gravel bar beside a gin clear stream is a fantastic experience. The very experienced pilots and guides made us very comfortable and followed strict safety protocols. We never felt nervous and even members of our group that were leery of flying in small aircraft found the flights thrilling. I'll let the photos and videos in this and future posts speak for themselves. If they do not put little buzz in your fisherman's heart, you're probably not reading this blog in the first place.

Neil and Marcia Dorsey rigged and ready.

Guides go in one chopper with gear, clients in the one to follow.

But let's concentrate on the fishing for now. Other than the main Talachulitna that is accessed by jet boat from the lodge, all the streams and creeks fished are small and would be impossible to access by float plane.

On my first two days, I waded Friday Creek and float/waded Coal Creek via a small inflatable kayak. The fishing was sensational on both streams. Scott Sawtelle and I caught mainly grayling and 'bows up to 21" on Friday Creek and dollies and bows up to 23" on Coal Creek. Both rivers were absolutely beautiful. Most of our fish were caught directly below spawning kings or at least in the glide path of errant eggs.

Doc and Scott discuss appropriate flies

From the eagle-sized nests of chums (dog salmon) and even smaller pinks (humpies) to the bomb craters excavated by kings (chinooks), salmon redds pockmarked the riffles and outside bends of runs. Using their broad fan-shaped tails like a hydraulic shovel, the five species of pacific salmon in our river system jettisoned gravel and small stones while excavating their redds. Soon, within these divots will planted the seeds of a new generation of their kind.

When salmon leave the salt and are pulled into the fresh by some ancient mandate, they face only two possible outcomes: Die or have sex and die. As they make their way towards their birth creeks, they are hell bent on the latter. There are no second chances on these journeys. They migrate ever upward and when satisfied with their progress, they create their redds with a fiery intensity. The male's distorted kype jaw lined with sharp teeth are evidence enough of their willingness to defend their mission at all costs. Below the messianic salmon another cast of characters dog them incessantly.

Sockeye salmon (red salmon)

In the Talachulitna, grayling, rainbow trout and Dollie Varden set up shop in the slipstream of the salmon hoping initially for eggs, but sticking around for the huge meal to come. Like vultures they patiently wait. Soon the flesh of the decaying dead salmon and the maggots that feed on the flesh offer another opportunity to the species we fly fishermen love: rainbows, dollies and grayling. In addition to the egg suckers and flesh eaters, smolt and sculpin also search through the debris kicked out by the nest builders for insect nymphs and other edibles. And like teenagers at a dance, the jack kings look for both food and sex.

A 24" dollie took this dolly lama

As did this jack king

A big bow on a small stream... nothing better!

...another dollie on a dollie lama

These days flew by and way too soon we heard the whop, whop, whop, of our choppers. They pivoted into the wind and soon whisked us back to the land of showers, cocktails and dinner. The only good part of ending the first two days was we had five more to come.

About Me

Scott Heywood has explored the world, not only as a world class mountaineer and an elite white water kayaker, but also as a fly fisherman, having always managed to conceal a travel rod somewhere in his gear.
He was inducted into the Explorers Club in 1994. As an owner, trip host and photographer for Angling Destinations, Inc., Scott has fished all over the world both in fresh and saltwater for the last 35 years in search of great fly fishing opportunities. From the Seychelles to Kamchata and from Mongolia to French Polynesia, Scott has found great fishing, stunning scenery, a dazzling array of animal life and many great friends.
These days, Scott can be found traveling the world looking for new, remote water with big, naive fish.